Notes:

8-29-11
Intro Into Research Methods
  • context: set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event or situation
    • What major trends may have affected the author of the document? Political, social, economic, and/or cultural.
    • How does this document fit into the historical context?
    • How does this document better our understanding of the event?
  • thesis: a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved to be maintained against objections
  • perspective: a way of regarding situations, facts, etc., and judging their relative importance.
    • Who is the author? What are his/her biases/prejudices/background?
  • audience: the person or persons of which a product is directed towards.
    • Was the document prepared for a specific audience?
  • significance: the importance of an item, its impact

8-30-11
No notes taken today!

8-31-11
Work Before/After Revolution

Before
  • Sun determined work day
  • The U.S. was 80% rural
  • Things were sent by river/canals
  • Western European immigrants
  • Horse, steam, water power
  • Mills

After
  • 12 hour work days
  • 60% rural
  • sent by railroad
  • Eastern European immigrants
  • Electric Age
  • Factories / sweat shops
  • Rise of big business

September 1, 2011

Today in class we went over children and women labor. We also learned about Factory Towns.

Women
-Starting wage was $1.50
-No Set hours
-Unpaid overtime
-Normally worked 7 days a week
-Could be sexually abused

Children
-10 to 14 hour work days with limited breaks.
-Bosses were very strict with children
-Started as young as 3
-Money went to their parents
-Worked 6 days a week

Factory Towns
-Working conditions were horrible
-Miners couldnt stand streight up.
-Miners would develop black lung, and wouldn't be medically covered.
-Miners could be evicted from homes if they'd protest.
-Everything was controlled by the same person or same group of people.